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Serial sex offender Jeffrey Epstein settles civil lawsuit

Wealthy financier and registered sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has reached a "last-minute settlement" in a civil lawsuit brought by Bradley Edwards, an attorney for some of Epstein's alleged victims, the AP reports. The deal was made Tuesday just before jury selection was to begin, meaning none of Epstein's accusers will be able to testify in court for now.

The big picture: A bombshell Miami Herald investigative series published last week highlighted for the first time the extent of Epstein's alleged crimes and the soft treatment he received from federal prosecutors. While he was allegedly raping teenage girls, Epstein cultivated cozy relationships with America's elites, including former President Bill Clinton, President Donald Trump and Alan Dershowitz — who still provides Epstein with legal advice, Axios' Jonathan Swan reported on Sunday.

Editor's note: The headline and story have been corrected to reflect that Epstein settled a civil lawsuit with attorney Bradley Edwards — not a case involving his accusers.